Friday, June 8, 2012

Below is a write-up of Rav Weinberger's Shalosh Seudos drasha from this Shabbos, Parshas Acharei-Kedoshim. This version reflects his review of the write-up. You can see past write-ups of Rav Weinberger's Shalosh Sheudos Torahshere and get thousands of his shiurim in mp3 format at ravmosheweinberger.com.

After a long brake due to Rebbe being away and then Yom Tov, we are back with the Shalosh Seudos writeup. Hope you enjoy it.

Rav Moshe Weinberger

Shalosh Seudos Drasha Parashas Nasso 5752

The Imrey Menachem of Alexander: The fire burning inside of every Jew.

(Original text of the Imrey Menachem (Parshas Nasso p.78) is in regular font. Rav Weinberger’s comments are in italics)

This a Torah from the last Alexander Rebbe z"ya.

(Bamidbar 4:22) "נשא את ראש בני גרשון גם הם לבית אבותם למשפחותם" (Count the sons of Gershon, as well, according to their fathers household, according to their families). We can explain this according to what we find in Yeshayah HaNavi ע״ה (Yashayah 6:1-5). When he saw Hashem "sitting upon a high and lofty throne. Seraphim (Fiery Angels) standing above, etc". He said "woe is me, for I am doomed: for I am a man of impure lips, and I dwell with people of impure lips, for my eyes have seen the King, Hashem, Lord of Hosts".

Yeshayah has a Nevuah where he is in Shamayim amongst all the Malachim. But Hashem gets angry at him for talking disparagingly about Klal Yisroel. He can say such things about himself, but he has no right to talk like that about His people, calling them an Am Tameh, an impure people.

Later it's written (Yashayah 6:7) "One of the Seraphim flew to me and in his hand was a coal; taken with tongs from atop the Altar. He touched it to my mouth etc.". Rashi explains that Hakadosh Baruch Hu said to the Malach "clean the mouth that spoke evil about my Children".

Truly every single Jew, even the worse one, is dear and beloved to Hashem.

As the Holy Baal Shem Tov זצללה״ה זי״ע said to one of the members of his holy brotherhood of students "even the one that is simplest and lowest in your eyes, Hashem loves more then you could ever love your only son".

The Baal Shem Tov was talking to a Talmid who spoke disparagingly about another Jew.

Because truly, in the depth of every Jew's heart the burning coals of Yisroel have not been extinguished. Inside him the remnants of the sparks of the Godly flame still burn, from the the holy inheritance of our Avos (forefathers). From this holiness of the Kedushas Avos it's possible to reach the highest levels.

Rav Tzaddok talks about this in Pri Tzaddik on this week's Parsha when discussing the Nazir. A Jew can say just 2 words, "Hareni Nazir", and in a second everything changes. He can become an Andere Mentch, a completely new person, he can reach such a high level of Kedusha in a moment, just by making that decision. That's why the passuk says "ki yafli", because it's a "peleh" that such a thing is possible.

Rav Tzaddok also talks about the Malach that comes to speak to Manoach. His name is "Peli". It's a "Peleh" that this person that was walking around as a human a few moments ago, in a second becomes a Saraph Hashem. This too is a Peleh, the wonder of a Jew, who in a moment can become a fiery servant of Hashem.

As David Hamelech writes (Tehillim 113:7-8) "מאשפות ירים אביון, להושיבי עם נדיבים, עם נדיבי עמו" (From the trash heaps He lifts the destitute, to seat them with the generous ones, the "givers" of his people). Even from the lowest level, the aspect of "אביון" (destitute), the one that desires every physical pleasure (see Shochar Tov on Mishley 22), and blemished his Middah of Yesod (connected to the purity of relations between men and woman), he is able to reach the aspect of "להושיבי עם נדיבי עמו" (to seat with the "givers" of his people).

He can do this according to what Rashi explains on what's written (Tehillim 47:10) "נדיבי עמים נאספו" (The generous ones of the people's gathered). This means that they pledged themselves to die Al Kiddush Hashem (for the sanctification of His Name), which is the highest level, that of Mesirus Nefesh (self-sacrifice). Because even the lowliest of sinners of Yisroel have the power to be Moser Nefesh al Kiddush Hashem (see Tanya ch. 18).

"נדיבי עמו" are the ones that are Mosser Nefesh Al Kiddush Hashem. But in reality, deep inside every Jew, no matter how low, no matter how deep he is in the Ashpah, he is ready to give up his life Al Kiddush Hashem.

This is the meaning of "נשא את ראש בני גרשון גם הם" (Count the sons of Gershon, as well). We must also bring closer the ones that became distanced and separated from Holiness.

Gershon comes from the word מגורש, one that is cut off, distanced and feels rejected.

As I heard in the name of the holy Rav Aharon of Belz זי״ע, how he once directed one of his followers that was traveling out of the Land of Yisrael to get married. He advised him, among other things, that if during his trip he sat next to a Jew that was far from Yiddishkeit, he should make sure to talk to him and to try to bring him closer. Why all this? "לבית אבותם למשפחותם" (according to their fathers household, according to their families), even if they appear to be far away or even completely lost, deep inside them their Kedushas Avos still burns, and through the power of this holiness they can elevate themselves to the highest level.